Evaluating the Impacts of Global Change on European Freshwater Ecosystems (Euro-limpacs)

Euro-limpacs was an EU funded Framework 6 project concerned with the effects of climate change on freshwater systems (rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands). In particular the Project sought to understand the effects on these vulnerable ecosystems of the interactions between changing climate and other potentially damaging processes caused by changes in the physical characteristics of rivers, nutrient pollution, acidification and the deposition of toxic metals and organic pollutants. Euro-limpacs examined how these multiple effects impact on efforts to manage freshwater ecosystems, in particular the implication for meeting the requirements of legislation such as the Water Framework Directive and Habitats Directive.

Indicators for the effects of climate change on lakes, rivers and wetlands along with their pathways, importance and the magnitude of change were suggested, and one of the most valuable project results was development of a set of tools for catchment management and integrated decision support.